Activity In Cultures Research Articles

Lycium barbarum glycopeptide reduces bone loss caused by exosomes derived from human gingival fibroblasts with radiation exposure

To explore the protective effect of Lycium barbanun glycopeptide (LbGP) against osteogenic inhibition induced by exosomes derived from human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) exposed to radiation. Cultured HGFs with or without LbGP pretreatment were exposed to 8 Gy X-ray radiation, and the changes in cell apoptosis, senescence and α-SMA level were detected using RT-qPCR, Western blotting and β-galactosidase staining. The exosomes secreted by the treated cells were extracted, and after identification by electron microscopy, particle size analysis and Western blotting, the exosomes were added into primary cultured bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), and osteoclast activity and osteogenesis in the cell cultures were detected by Trap staining, Alizarin red staining, ALP staining, RT-qPCR and Western blotting. In cultured HGFs, X-ray radiation significantly increased the percentage of senescent cells, which was obviously lowered by LbGP treatment. X-ray radiation significantly reduced Bcl-2/Bax ratio and increased α -SMA expression in HGFs, and these changes were significantly suppressed by LbGP pretreatment. In rat BMSCs, incubation with the exosomes derived from HGFs with radiation exposure caused a significant increase of osteoclasts, reduced calcium nodules and lowered alkaline phosphatase expression in the cells; The opposite changes were observed in the cells treated with exosomes from LbGPpretreated HGFs, which also significantly increased the cellular expressions of the osteogenic genes (BMP2, ALP, and RUNX2) and proteins (ALP and RUNX2) as compared with the exosomes from irradiated HGFs. LbGP can effectively inhibit osteoclast activity and promote osteogenesis by acting on exosomes secreted by irradiated HGFs, suggesting its potential value for treatment of osteoradionecrosis of the jaw.

On the Importance of Extracurricular Physical Education Activities in the Physical Education of Students of Higher Education Institutions

The article presents material on the organization of extracurricular activities in physical education at a higher educational institution. The relevance of this topic is due to structural and substantive changes in undergraduate educational programs and work programs in physical education, which have led to an increasing role of extracurricular activities in the formation of student's physical culture competence. This circumstance requires consideration of issues of planning, organization and methodological support of this type of pedagogical activity. The purpose of the study is to identify the organizational and educational aspects of student sports and wellness activities conducted in their free time from study at the university. As an example of the organization of extracurricular work carried out by teachers of the Department of Physical Culture and Sports, a number of physical culture and recreation and sports events held at the Omsk State Agrarian University named after P. A. Stolypin are proposed. The analysis and generalization of pedagogical experience in the higher education system, data from literary sources on the problems of physical education of students allowed us to make practical recommendations on the basics of planning, goal-setting and organizational features of extracurricular activities in physical culture. The possibility of increasing the effectiveness of this activity is emphasized due to the uniform distribution of activities throughout the academic year, attracting students with different levels of physical, sports and technical readiness and motivation in the field of physical culture and sports to participate. In addition to the calendar plan, the organizers for each event must define a goal, develop a program, create a festive atmosphere, ensure the safety of spectators and participants, and create conditions for informational coverage of the planned event.

Enhanced biochemical, microbial, and ultrastructural attributes of reduced-fat labneh through innovative microalgae integration.

Reduced-fat labneh, while offering health benefits, often presents a challenge due to its diminished nutritional profile compared to full-fat varieties. Microalgae, such as Spirulina platensis and Chlorella vulgaris, are increasingly explored for their potential to fortify foods with essential nutrients. This study innovatively investigates the use of these microalgae to enhance the quality of reduced-fat labneh. The effect of incorporating different concentrations of both microalgae was investigated at different concentrations (0.25, 0.5, and 1%) on nutritional profile (including total solids, fat, protein, carbohydrates, essential amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, pigments, and phenolic compounds), antioxidant activity, texture, sensory attributes, and viability of the starter culture. The findings revealed that 0.25 and 0.5% concentrations of both microalgae positively influenced the sensory characteristics of the labneh and significantly enhanced its nutritional profile. However, a 1% concentration negatively impacted sensory qualities. Chlorella vulgaris enrichment resulted in higher pH values but compromised texture attributes. Importantly, both microalgae varieties enhanced the viability of the starter culture during 21 days of refrigerated storage. The scanning electron microscope images provide visual evidence of the microstructural changes in labneh with varying concentrations of microalgae and over different storage periods. This research establishes the optimal concentrations for individual microalgae enrichment in reduced-fat labneh, offering valuable insights into their potential to improve both nutritional and sensory aspects. However, it's important to mention that while both microalgae have similar effects, they might differ in their specific impacts due to their unique nutritional profiles and physical properties. Therefore, further investigations could explore optimizing a microalgae mixture and its potential application in functional food development.

A “terminal” case of glycan catabolism: Structural and enzymatic characterization of the sialidases of Clostridium perfringens

Sialic acids are commonly found on the terminal ends of biologically important carbohydrates, including intestinal mucin O-linked glycans. Pathogens such as Clostridium perfringens, the causative agent of necrotic enteritis (NE) in poultry and humans, have the ability to degrade host mucins and colonize the mucus layer, which involves removal of the terminal sialic acid by carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes). Here we present the structural and biochemical characterization of the GH33 catalytic domains of the three sialidases of C. perfringens and probe their substrate specificity. The catalytically active domains, which we refer to as NanHGH33, NanJGH33, and NanIGH33, displayed differential activity on various naturally occurring forms of sialic acid. We report the X-ray crystal structures of these domains in complex with relevant sialic acid variants revealing the molecular basis of how each catalytic domain accommodates different sialic acids. NanHGH33 displays a distinct preference for α-2,3-linked sialic acid, but can process α-2,6-linked sialic acid. NanJGH33 and NanIGH33 both exhibit the ability to process α-2,3- and α-2,6-linked sialic acid without any significant apparent preference. All three enzymes were sensitive to generic and commercially available sialidase inhibitors, which impeded sialidase activity in cultures as well as the growth of C. perfringens on sialylated glycans. The knowledge gained in these studies can be applied to in vivo models for C. perfringens growth and metabolism of mucin O-glycans, with a view towards future mitigation of bacterial colonization and infection of intestinal tissues.

Pseudomonas mosselii: a potential alternative for managing pyrethroid-resistant Aedes aegypti.

Aedes aegypti is a widespread mosquito in tropical and subtropical regions that causes significant mortality and morbidity in humans by transmitting diseases, such as dengue fever and Zika virus disease. Synthetic insecticides, such as pyrethroids, have been used to control Ae. aegypti, but these insecticides can also affect nontarget organisms and contaminate soil and water. This study aimed to investigate the mosquitocidal activity of Pseudomonas mosselii isolated from pond sludge against larvae of Ae. aegypti. Based on the initial results, similar time-course profiles were obtained for the mosquitocidal activity of the bacterial culture and its supernatant, and the pellet resuspended in Luria-Bertani (LB) medium also showed delayed toxicity. These results imply that the toxic component can be released into the medium from live bacteria. Further research indicated that the toxic component appeared in the supernatant approximately 4 h after a 3-mL stock was cultured in 200 mL of LB medium. The stabilities of the P. mosselii culture and supernatant stored at different temperatures were also evaluated, and the best culture stability was obtained at 28 °C and supernatant stability at 4 °C. The bacterial culture and supernatant were toxic to larvae and pupae of not only susceptible Ae. aegypti but also pyrethroid-resistant strains. This study highlights the value of the mosquitocidal activity of P. mosselii, which has potential as an alternative insecticide to control pyrethroid-resistant Ae. aegypti in the field. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Mapping the Trajectory of Popular Culture: From Rock Album Narratives to Video Game Transmediality

Popular culture is not a coherent concept; it lacks an organic whole and is subject to change. It is neither fixed nor concrete, with its modus operandi rooted in everyday life. It does not possess a definitive meaning, as it is constantly being redefined and reevaluated, and the canon of pop culture works is continually expanding. During its heyday in the 1960s, pop culture evolved, shaping both its passive and active roles. The passive (mass) aspect reflects a tendency to act as a “mirror” of reality, as it is and as it should be, adding a certain degree of glamour within the entertainment industry, major Hollywood productions, and politically correct celebrities. The active aspect relies on the potential for social action within pop culture. Pop culture has become capable of supporting and leading significant cultural changes, such as in music, film, literature, and shifting social attitudes toward war and destruction, family, religion, and other critical issues since the 1960s. In the 21st century, the activity, vitality, and relevance of pop culture are based on technology, AI, and video gaming. Other narratives become allusive and outdated, yet they still define the modes of life of the era. This paper aims to first investigate and define the trajectory of popular culture and, consequently, to project the future directions and modalities we can expect, considering the increasing significance and impact of popular culture juxtaposed with elite culture.

미디어 빅데이터 의미연결망을 통해 본 문화도시와 관광 담론 연계: 공주 문화도시 사례

Purpose: This study is aim to make policy suggestions to secure sustainability in promoting Cultural City policies. Cities discover and reinterpret existing original to secure competitiveness, but cities can survive by creating new cultures. Tourism also contributes to the creation of economic effects by emphasizing industrial aspects, but essentially, tourism plays a role in enjoying the culture of the city and further creating a new culture. Nevertheless, culture and tourism tend to become instrumental and means of urban development, which will be set as a hurdle to sustainable urban development. Methods: The discourse that appeared in the media was analyzed targeting Gong-Ju City, Chung-Nam Province, which was recently designated as a Cultural City. For about 6 years from January 2018 to December 2023, big data on cultural cities and tourism mentioned on media reports and SNS were collected, and discourse was presented through frequent word frequency analysis, centrality analysis, and CONCOR analysis. For data collection, processing, and analysis, a big data solution, TEXTOM was used. Results: A total of 4,030 documents and 17,530 words with the keywords of Gong-Ju, Cultural City, and tourism were collected. In addition to the search keywords, tourism-related travel, tourist cities, and tourists accounted for the high frequency along with words such as culture, travel, Chung-Nam, hosting, and promotion. Centrality analysis revealed culture, city, tourism, region, and history are orient direction of discourse. As a result of the discourse analysis, the orientation of the future cultural city through history, the life-style resources of local residents as cultural resources, policies and programs activation before and after the designation of a cultural city, and the possibility of the tourism industry for a cultural city were extracted. Conclusion: Since Gongju, a Cultural City, was initial stage, there was a limit to discovering how it was connected to regional differentiation and tourism. However, it was suggested how to create a new discourse by linking tourism, focusing on the research results and developmental suggestions through previous studies.

Fast and reliable quantification of aldosterone, cortisol and cortisone via LC-MS/MS to study 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activities in primary cell cultures

Cell culture experiments can support characterization of enzymatic activities in healthy and tumorous human tissues. Liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) enables simultaneous measurement of several steroids from a single sample, facilitating analysis of molecular pathways involved in steroid biosynthesis. We developed a reliable but fast method for quantification of cortisol, cortisone and aldosterone in cell culture supernatant. Validation, including investigation of matrix-matched calibration, was performed for two different cell types. Utility of the method was demonstrated in the study of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (HSD11B2) activity under conditions of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid excess in different cell types. Aldosterone, cortisol and cortisone were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) with methyl tert-butyl ether from 1 mL of cell culture supernatant. Steroids were separated on a Kinetex biphenyl column (50 ×2.1 mm, 2.6 µm) with gradient elution of water and methanol containing 2 mM ammonium format and analysed in multiple reaction monitoring mode after positive electrospray ionization. Application of the method included cell culture experiments with two different primary cell types, human coronary artery smooth muscle cells (HCSMC) and human coronary artery endothelial cells (EC). Cells were treated with different concentrations of cortisol, aldosterone and mifepristone, a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist and quantitative PCR was performed. The method exhibits high precision (CV ≤ 6 %) and accuracy (deviation from nominal concentration ≤ 6 %) for concentrations above the limit of quantification (LoQ) which is 0.11, 0.56 and 0.69 nmol/L for aldosterone, cortisone and cortisol, respectively. Calibration curves did not differ when prepared in media or solvent. The method enabled us to confirm activity of HSD11B2 and concentration dependent conversion of cortisol to cortisone in HCSMC (median conversion ratio at 140 nM cortisol = 1.46 %). In contrast we did not observe any HSD11B2 activity in EC. Neither addition of high aldosterone, nor addition of 1 µM mifepristone had impact on glucocorticoid concentrations. Quantitative PCR revealed expression of HSD11B1 and HSD11B2 in HCSMC but not in EC. We present a fast and reliable method for quantification of cortisol, cortisone and aldosterone in cell culture supernatants. The method enabled us to study HSD11B2 activity in two different cell types and will support future experiments investigating mechanisms of target organ damage in conditions of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid excess.

Leisure activities in inclusive culture for teachers of public educational institutions at the primary level

Leisure activities in inclusive culture for teachers of public educational institutions at the primary level

Preparing future physical culture and sports specialists for fitness training

Nowadays, fitness is actively developing, in particular: functional training and personal training. Fitness coaches of sports teams use fitness means in general physical preparation. During the classes, various methods of structuring the session are used, including the EMOM regime. This is the performance of physical exercises in a mode where each subsequent exercise starts from a new minute, rest until the end of this minute, and then from the new next minute a new exercise in turn from the complex. The work presents outlines of training sessions where the given mode acts as a training influence. One of the features of the activity of a physical culture and sports specialist in professional activity, especially in fitness as a trainer, is the ability to compile a lesson plan. Therefore, at the current stage, a coach is a specialist who should be in constant diverse development, including in the context of theoretical-methodological and practical training, in particular fitness training and forming the ability to compile a lesson plan. Therefore, an important condition in the preparation of future specialists in the specialty 017 Physical culture and sport is the formation of this type of readiness in the process of education. The purpose of the work. Develop functional training fitness lesson plans that are relevant in the fitness training of future physical culture and sports specialists. Recommend the implementation of model fitness lessons in the presented outlines, both in personal training and in general physical preparation of athletes. The methodology of the study involved the use of the basics of sports training, analysis and synthesis, updating, description. Scientific novelty. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that the relevant aspects of functional training that are appropriate to apply in personal training and general physical preparation in sports have been singled out. Outlines of fitness lessons have been developed as theoretical-methodological preparation of future physical culture and sports specialists in fitness training. Materials and methods. During the collection of information, observations and development of lesson plans for fitness training of future physical culture and sports specialists, conversations with fitness trainers (n=32) were held. Conclusions. A coach in fitness is a certain type of role model. Thus, in addition to presenting a clear and professionally compiled lesson plan, the coach demonstrates exercises, makes adjustments, changes tasks, training impact, and so on. The process takes place permanently and requires constant self-analysis, self-development, and self-improvement. Therefore, in the process of obtaining education, learners should be trained not only physically but also methodically, for training to compile an outline as well.

Discovery of potent SARS-CoV-2 nsp3 macrodomain inhibitors uncovers lack of translation to cellular antiviral response.

A strategy for pandemic preparedness is the development of antivirals against a wide set of viral targets with complementary mechanisms of action. SARS-CoV-2 nsp3-mac1 is a viral macrodomain with ADP-ribosylhydrolase activity, which counteracts host immune response. Targeting the virus' immunomodulatory functionality offers a differentiated strategy to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 compared to approved therapeutics, which target viral replication directly. Here we report a fragment-based lead generation campaign guided by computational approaches. We discover tool compounds which inhibit nsp3-mac1 activity at low nanomolar concentrations, and with responsive structure-activity relationships, high selectivity, and drug-like properties. Using our inhibitors, we show that inhibition of nsp3-mac1 increases ADP-ribosylation, but surprisingly does not translate to demonstrable antiviral activity in cell culture and iPSC-derived pneumocyte models. Further, no synergistic activity is observed in combination with interferon gamma, a main protease inhibitor, nor a papain-like protease inhibitor. Our results question the extent to which targeting modulation of innate immunity-driven ADP-ribosylation can influence SARS-CoV-2 replication. Moreover, these findings suggest that nsp3-mac1 might not be a suitable target for antiviral therapeutics development.

BEYOND RHETORIC: CHINA'S PUBLIC DIPLOMACY IN KENYA THROUGH A POLITICAL-ECONOMIC LENS (2013-2020)

This article explores the evolution of China-Kenya relations within the context of China's broader public diplomacy strategy, focusing particularly on the period from 2013 to 2020. The foundation for these bilateral relations was laid as China opened up to developing countries and African nations gained independence. While formal diplomatic relations between China and Kenya were established in 1963, it was during the 2000s that these relations diversified significantly under the leadership of Chinese President Hu Jintao and Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki. This diversification spanned commercial, cultural, and political domains, becoming a notable example of public diplomacy. With the ascension of Chinese President Xi Jinping, China's public diplomacy experienced a strategic shift towards a more assertive and politically oriented approach. This study argues that under Xi Jinping, new initiatives and strategic plans were introduced, enhancing the existing framework of China's public diplomacy. A key element of this transformation was the increased emphasis on foreign aid, which gained momentum through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Between 2013 and 2020, China's foreign aid to Kenya played a pivotal role in reshaping the structure of Chinese public diplomacy. This period saw a continuation and expansion of activities in culture and media, established in earlier phases, alongside a growing focus on infrastructure development, humanitarian aid, healthcare assistance, and educational and cultural projects. The study begins by examining traditional public diplomacy tools such as cultural exchanges, high-level visits, and educational initiatives. It then discusses specific projects implemented between 2013 and 2020, analyzing their contributions to public diplomacy efforts. Finally, the article provides an overview of these projects, as documented in AidData, highlighting their impact on the bilateral relations between China and Kenya.

A Qualitative Analysis of Cross-cultural Adjustment and Job Performance in the Hotel Industry: The Case of Saudi Arabia

Individual and organizational-level cross-cultural adjustments are necessary in the hospitality sector because of its diverse and dynamic teams and guests. The aim of this research is to comprehend the variables that explain how job performance is affected by cross-cultural adjustment. A qualitative study was carried out, with an emphasis on the traits of the Saudi culture and the opinions on job performance, satisfaction, and the overall environment at work. To determine how high-context and low-context cultural norms differ from one another and what effects they have on various levels, ten individuals were interviewed. Thematic analysis was used to examine the transcribed data, find patterns, and discuss the most significant relationships. The results demonstrated that a cross-cultural adjustment in a team of hotel industry in Saudi Arabia is affected due to the lack of cultural balance and inclusiveness. This may lead to communication problems and a challenging work environment, which can affect employees' engagement and job performance. The recommendations included focusing on enhancing the present recruitment procedure to develop more culturally balanced teams and evaluating the team's time-management skills, which is a factor that makes it challenging for employees to participate in activities of diverse cultures.

Red Sea Sponge Extract Callyspongia siphonella and its Metabolites Induced Anticancer Activity in 2D and 3D Culture of Colon Cancer Cells.

Colorectal Cancer (CRC) significantly contributes to global cancer-related mortality and morbidity. Callyspongia siphonella (Callyspongia sp.), a Red Sea sponge, has shown promising activity as an anticancer extract and a source of anticancer-active compounds. This study sought to determine the effects of Callyspongia siphonella and its metabolites on HCT-116 colon cancer cells. Cell viability assays showed that Callyspongia sp. inhibited in a dose-dependent manner, the growth of HCT-116 cell lines with IC50 values of 64.8±17 ug/ml on 2D culture and 141.1±6.8 ug/ml on 3D culture. The purified compounds Sipholenol-A and Sipholenone-A have an IC50 of 48.9±2.2 uM and 47.1±1.2 uM respectively. Following Callyspongia sp. treatment of HCT-116, cell cycle analysis showed arrest at G2/M.flow cytometry analysis showed an increase in total apoptosis due to Callyspongia sp treatment. Moreover, mitochondria membrane potential has been reported to be depolarized due to Callyspongia sp. which is an extra sign of apoptosis. Further investigations are needed to explain the particular underlying mechanisms of Callyspongia sp. extract and its metabolites Sipholenol-A and Sipholenone-A to explore their therapeutic potential in treating colon cancer.

THE SYSTEM OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND UPBRINGING FOR THE STUDENTS IN THE EXTRACURRICULAR UPBRINGING INSTITUTIONS

Considering the global scale of the most worrying problem for mankind the state of the environment, the author describes in detail the system of works required to provide environmental education to the students of extracurricular educational institutions. It is noted that both natural and anthropogenic factors cause various changes in the environment, which radically affect the life of a region. As a result of the constant interaction between the environment, economy, culture, and human activity, changes in one of the links of this chain equally affect the others. Hence, there is an urgent need for environmental education, which is based on the experience of personal development and making important decisions to protect the environment.

A bacteriocin expression platform for targeting pathogenic bacterial species

Bacteriocins are antimicrobial peptides that are naturally produced by many bacteria. They hold great potential in the fight against antibiotic resistant bacteria, including ESKAPE pathogens. Engineered live biotherapeutic products (eLBPs) that secrete bacteriocins can be created to deliver targeted bacteriocin production. Here we develop a modular bacteriocin secretion platform that can be used to express and secrete multiple bacteriocins from non-pathogenic Escherichia coli host strains. As a proof of concept we create Enterocin A (EntA) and Enterocin B (EntB) secreting strains that show strong antimicrobial activity against Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium in vitro, and characterise this activity in both solid culture and liquid co-culture. We then develop a Lotka-Volterra model that can be used to capture the interactions of these competitor strains. We show that simultaneous exposure to EntA and EntB can delay Enterococcus growth. Our system has the potential to be used as an eLBP to secrete additional bacteriocins for the targeted killing of pathogenic bacteria.

Study on the Activation Path of Chinese National Traditional Sports Culture Resources

In this paper, through the study of China's traditional sports cultural resources activation path, through the study found that China's traditional national sports activation faced the following problems: 1. Policy details to be refined 2. Activating awareness 3. Lack of innovation in activation methods 4. Sports product development needs to be enriched 5. Activate the talent shortage. In view of the above problems, this article puts forward the following suggestions: 1. Better Activation Policy 2. Develop activation products based on people's needs 3. To train the compound talents of sports culture 4. Revitalizing Publicity Tools 5. Construct personalized and localized activation experience space.

Strategy for Implementing Religious Moderation in Islamic Education Management

The strategy for implementing religious moderation is the systematic steps and approaches used to integrate the values of religious moderation among today's diversity. This research aims to determine strategies for implementing religious moderation and supporting factors and inhibiting factors for its implementation in Islamic education management. This research uses qualitative method under case study. The findings of the research show that there are various programs of an Islamic Religious Education Curriculum which is full of moderation values, a program to habituate the values of moderation in daily life, a religious moderation training program for teachers, and the Strengthening Pancasila Student Profile Project activities as strategies for implementing religious moderation. Apart from that, the existence of a clear vision and mission, a strong commitment from the leadership and teaching staff, as well as active support from parents and the community are supporting factors for the implementation of religious moderation. However, limited resources and the influence of students' social environment outside of school which does not always support the values of moderation are factors inhibiting the implementation of religious moderation. In conclusion, the strategy for implementing religious moderation can be carried out with various programs and activities in intracurricular, extracurricular, co-curricular and school culture as well as optimizing supporting factors and innovating solutions to overcome factors that obstruct its implementation.

Daqu regulates the balance of saccharification and alcoholic fermentation to promote Chinese baijiu fermentation

Saccharifying activity of starter culture plays a key role on the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of Chinese baijiu fermentation. However, the regulation of alcoholic fermentation by Daqu starter or saccharifying enzymes still remains unclear in the baijiu fermentation. In this study, we identified 13 proteins, affiliated to 4 saccharifying enzymes (including alpha-amylase, beta-amylase, glucoamylase and beta-glucosidase) as the key saccharifying enzymes in Daqu by metaproteomic and culture-dependent analysis. These enzymes were metabolized from plant substrate (13.4%) and microbial metabolism (86.6%), and especially alpha-amylase and glucoamylase from Aspergillus and Rhizopus were dominant in Daqu bio-system. Furthermore, we observed the dynamic of saccharifying activity of Daqu (from 241 to 395 U) was driven by the combinations of isolated saccharifying microbes responsible for key enzymes releasing, indicating AR7 group (with a ration of Rhizopus oryzae: Aspergillus oryzae in 10:1) presented the highest saccharifying activity (395 U) in a simulative Daqu production. However, the highest ethanol production (80.5 mg/g) was obtained from the fermentation driven by AR8 group (with a ration of Rhizopus oryzae: Aspergillus oryzae in 50:1) with the saccharifying activity of 389 U. These results indicated that a proper combination of saccharifying microbes could enhance the saccharifying activity of Daqu and then promote ethanol production in baijiu fermentation, as it did not always exhibit a positive correlativity between saccharifying activity and alcoholic fermentation. Our findings should provide a potential approach to regulate the alcoholic fermentation by optimizing the saccharifying microbes or enzymes of starter cultures for baijiu and other fermented food.

Metabolic activity of gut microbial enrichment cultures from different marine species and their transformation abilities to plastic additives

The role of the gut microbiota in host physiology has been previously elucidated for some marine organisms, but little information is available on their metabolic activity involved in transformation of environmental pollutants. This study assessed the metabolic profiles of the gut microbial cultures from grouper (Epinephelus coioides), green mussel (Perna viridis) and giant tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) and investigated their transformation mechanisms to typical plastic additives. Community-level physiological profiling analysis confirmed the utilization profiles of the microbial cultures including carbon sources of carbohydrates, amines, carboxylic acids, phenolic compounds, polymers and amino acids, and the plastic additives of organophosphate flame retardants, tetrabromobisphenol A derivates and bisphenols. Using in vitro incubation, triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) was found to be rapidly metabolized into diphenyl phosphate by the gut microbiota as a representative ester-containing plastic additive, whereas the transformation of BPA (a representative phenol) was relatively slower. Interestingly, all three kinds of microbial cultures efficiently transformed the hepatic metabolite of BPA (BPA-G) back to BPA, thereby increasing its bioavailability in the body. The specific enzyme analysis confirmed the ability of the gut microbiota to perform the metabolic reactions. The results of 16S rRNA sequencing and network analysis revealed that the genera Escherichia-Shigella, Citrobacter, and Anaerospora were functional microbes, and their collaboration with fermentative microbes played pivotal roles in the transformation of the plastic additives. The structure-specific transformations by the gut microbiota and their distinct bioavailability deserve more attention in the future.